Ever spotted a squirrel with those wild, long tufts on its ears and wondered what’s going on? That’s probably an Abert’s squirrel—people often call them tassel-eared squirrels—and honestly, those ear tufts make them stand out in ponderosa pine forests.
You can pick them out by their ear tufts, the mix of gray and reddish fur, and that white belly. They stick close to ponderosa pines, and there’s actually a good reason for that.
Next time you’re out in the woods, try looking up—you might start noticing little details that set Abert’s squirrels apart from the regular tree squirrels. Their habitat really does matter.
Identifying Squirrels With Long Ears
Let’s talk about how you can spot squirrels with those long ear tufts. What makes their ears look so dramatic? And how can you tell the North American Abert’s squirrel from the Eurasian red squirrel?
Start with ear shape, color, and where you find them. Pay attention to how their looks change with the seasons.
Abert’s Squirrel: The Tassel-Eared Marvel
Abert’s squirrel (Sciurus aberti) mostly hangs out in ponderosa pine forests in the American Southwest. You’ll see them in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and sometimes in Mexican pine woods.
They love tall pines and snack on cones, seeds, fungi, buds, and even bark now and then.
Check out those ear tufts—they stick up about 2–3 cm in the winter. Their coat is gray, with a reddish stripe down the back, and a pale underside.
Some populations, like the Kaibab squirrel, have really different underpart and tail colors. You’ll spot a big, bushy tail and a chunky body.
Abert’s squirrels don’t hide food for later. You’ll catch them busy in the trees during the day, eating and nesting high up in the canopy.
Unique Features of Tassel-Eared Squirrels
Those ear tufts (or tassels) are the main show here. They’re biggest in the cooler months and almost vanish when summer rolls around.
This seasonal change can make it tricky to recognize them at first.
Their behavior and choice of home help too. Tassel-eared squirrels always stay up in the trees, building nests from twigs high in the pine crowns.
They pretty much depend on ponderosa pines for both food and shelter.
If you look closely, you’ll see they have long back feet and strong legs for jumping. Sometimes there’s a dark stripe along the back.
They usually measure about 46–58 cm from nose to tail, with the tail taking up 19–25 cm. If you’re watching one, check out how the tail compares to the body.
Eurasian Red Squirrel Ear Tufts
The Eurasian red squirrel rocks ear tufts too, but it’s a different animal. You’ll find them across Europe and parts of Asia, usually in mixed woodlands.
Their tufts are finer and show up mostly in winter.
Their color changes a lot—red, brown, even black—depending on where and when you see them. Eurasian red squirrels are slimmer and move fast in forests with thinner canopies.
If you spot a small, reddish squirrel with delicate winter tufts in a northern forest, you’re probably looking at a Eurasian red squirrel, not an Abert’s.
Habitat, Range, and Ecological Role of Long-Eared Squirrels
So where do these squirrels actually live? What do they eat and how do they fit into the forest scene?
Let’s dig into their favorite forests, how much space they need, and the part they play in seed and fungus cycles.
Ponderosa Pine Forests and Home Range
Abert’s squirrels stick to mature ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests. You’ll find them where there are lots of cones and open tree crowns.
They use big pines for food and build round twig nests way up in the branches.
Home ranges change depending on sex and season. In summer, they usually roam about 10–24 acres (4–10 ha).
Females often cover a bit more ground than males, while young males might wander even farther.
These squirrels like forests with trees of different ages and some especially big ones. If you spot dwarf mistletoe “witches brooms” in the trees, you might also find their nests there.
Where Mexican pinyon seeds grow, they’ll eat those too.
Ecological Adaptations and Interactions
Long ear tufts make Abert’s squirrels easy to recognize, but their real superpowers are in how they act and what they eat.
You’ll see them munching on ponderosa pine seeds, inner bark, buds, and pollen cones all year. They dig for underground fungi, and that helps spread fungal spores, which is pretty important for the forest.
Their nests and use of tree cavities change up the local shelter options for other animals. Predators like hawks and coyotes keep an eye on them, so squirrels end up shaping the food web in small but real ways.
In some mountain ranges where people introduced Abert’s squirrels, they’ve started competing with native species. That’s shaken things up locally.
Key Locations: Kaibab Plateau and Beyond
The Kaibab Plateau is home to the well-known Kaibab squirrel (Sciurus aberti kaibabensis), a truly unique local variety. You’ll spot these squirrels up on the northern Arizona plateau, especially where ponderosa pines stretch out across the landscape.
They really seem to prefer the best pine stands, where cones are everywhere and easy to find.
Further south, in the Rocky Mountains and all the way down into the Sierra Madre, other subspecies like Sciurus aberti ferreus hang out where ponderosa pine grows alongside Gambel oak, pinyon, and juniper.
Introduced Abert’s squirrels now live in the Graham and Santa Catalina mountains too.
If you’re ever out exploring these areas, keep an eye out for busy treetops, fresh cones, and nests tucked into the branches. That’s usually a good sign they’re nearby.
